Can follicular Emmprin and BMP 4 levels predict ICSI outcome?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship of clinical pregnancy rates with bone morphogenetic proteins 2-4-7 (BMP 2, 4, 7), growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF 9), and Emmprin levels in follicular fluid of intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients. METHODS: Follicular fluid of 77 patients who underwent ICSI procedure was collected during the oocyte retrieval procedure. And follicular fluid levels of BMP 2, BMP 4, BMP 7, GDF 9, and Emmprin (Basigin) were measured and compared for clinical pregnancy rates. RESULTS: Follicular levels of BMP 4 was significantly higher whereas Emmprin levels were lower in patients who had achieved clinically diagnosed pregnancy compared with those who did not achieve clinical pregnancy after ICSI procedure (P = 0.007 and P = 0.035, respectively). BMP 2, BMP 7, and GDF 9 levels were comparable for both groups. CONCLUSION: Clinical pregnancy rates after ICSI may be associated with follicular fluid levels of Emmprin and BMP 4. Follicular levels of Emmprin and BMP 4 can be used as a marker (as markers for predicting ICSI outcomes) for a better ICSI outcome.

DNA repair gene variants in endometrial carcinoma.

Several polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene are thought to have significant effects on cancer risk. In this study, we investigated the association of the polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, XRCC3 Thr241Met, XPD Lys751Gln, XPG Asp1104His, APE1 Asp148Glu, and HOGG1 Ser326Cys, with endometrium cancer risk. Two hundred and sixty-two women were included in the study. Endometrial biopsy was performed, and on the basis of diagnosis and histological examination, women were divided into two groups: a control group (n=158) and an endometrial cancer group (n=104). Genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP assays in endometrial carcinoma patients and age-matched controls. In this study, we found that the frequencies of Glu+ and Asp/Glu genotypes in APE, Gln/Gln genotype of XRCC1, Met/Met genotype of XRCC3, Cys+ and Ser/Cys genotypes of HOGG1, His+ and Asp/His genotypes of XPG, and Gln+ and Gln/Gln genotypes of XPD are more prevalent in patients than controls. Frequencies of Thr/Thr genotype in XRCC3 were increased in controls compared with patients and seem to be protected from endometrial cancer. Our findings suggest that XRCC1, XRCC3, XPD, XPG, APE1, and HOGG1 genetic variants may be associated with endometrial cancer in Turkish women.

Genetic variants of vascular endothelial growth factor and risk for the development of endometriosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endometriosis is regarded as a complex disese, in which genetic and environmental factors contribute to the disease phenotype. Whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -460 C/T and +405 G/C polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to endometriosis was investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Diagnosis of endometriosis was made on the basis of laparoscopic findings. Stage of endometriosis was determined according to the Revised American Fertility Society classification. Sixty out of the 112 women enrolled had no endometriosis, 11 had mild or early-stage endometriosis and 41 had severe endometriosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism and agarose gel electrophoresis techniques were used to determine the -460 C/T and +405 G/C genotypes. RESULTS: The VEGF +405 G/C genotype frequencies among the cases and controls were CC 55.8% and 35%; GC 30.8% and 50.0%; GG 13.5% and 15.0%, respectively. The allelic frequencies were C 71.15% (cases) and 60.0% (controls) and G 28.8% (cases) and 40% (controls). Patients with endometriosis had a higher incidence of the VEGF +405 CC genotype compared with the controls (p=0.027). Women with VEGF +405 CC genotype had 2.3-fold higher risk for endometriosis. VEGF +405 GC genotype and G allele in the control group was higher than the endometriosis group (p=0.039, p=0.027 respectively). The VEGF -460 C/T genotype frequencies among the cases were CC 21.2%, CT 26.9% and TT 51.9%; the C and T allelic frequencies were 34.6% and 65.3%, respectively. The VEGF -460 genotype frequencies among the controls were CC 31.70%, CT 18.3% and TT 50.0%; the C and T allelic frequencies were 40.8% and 59.1%, respectively (p>0.05). There was linkage disequilibrium between VEGF -460 C/T and +405 G/C polymorphisms (D': 0.197, r(2)=0.013). We observed that the VEGF 460T/405C haplotype frequency was significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p=0.011). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the CC genotype of VEGF +405 and 460T/405C haplotypes of VEGF may be associated with the risk of endometriosis, but the G allele of VEGF +405 appears to be protective against endometriosis.

Association of CCL2 and CCR2 gene variants with endometrial cancer in Turkish women.

Chemokines and their receptors play diverse roles in malignant tumor progression, particularly as key mediators of tumor stroma interactions. C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) also called monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), belongs to the C-C motif chemokine sub-family and is currently believed to mediate its actions through one receptor, C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). CCL2 has been identified as a major chemokine inducing the recruitment of macrophages in human tumors, including those of the bladder, cervix, ovary, lung and breast. In this study of Turkish women, the association of CCL2 A2518G and CCR2 V64I polymorphisms with endometrial cancer was investigated using 50 endometrial cancer patients and 211 controls. In our study, individuals with CCL2 A2518G GG genotype showed a 6.7-fold increased risk for endometrial cancer (p<0.0001) and individuals with CCL2 A2518G A allele had a 7.14-fold lower risk of endometrium cancer (p<0.0001). Individuals carrying the CCR2 64I/64I genotype had a 4.13-fold increased risk for endometrial cancer (p<0.0001). We also found that individuals carrying the CCR2 wt allele had a 4.16-fold lower risk for endometrial cancer (p=0.005). We observed that the CCL2 G: CCR2 64I haplotype frequency was significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p=0.019). In conclusion, we state that there appears to be an association between polymorphism of CCL2 and its receptor CCR2 and endometrial cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show such an association.